Frans Nielsen

The NHL’s failure to suspend Marian Gaborik following his vicious hit that sent the Islanders’ Frans Nielsen into momentary darkness last week screams of the league’s clear lack of a stance on hits from behind.

Andy Greene’s goal with 4:56 left snapped a tie and lifted the Devils to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night that kept New Jersey barely alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Islanders look to continue their surge Monday when they face the Panthers, who are trying to win their fourth straight in the series and third in a row on the road for the first time since early last season.

Al Montoya made 35 saves in his first NHL start in nearly two years, and Matt Moulson scored twice against his brother-in-law, Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, in the New York Islanders’ 3-0 victory Saturday night.

The Philadelphia Flyers weren’t doing much with their power-play chances in their first eight games, but they’ve scored at least once with the man advantage in five consecutive wins. That’s more bad news than the reeling New York Islanders need to hear.

They say the sport of hockey has changed, that fighting and goonery has been shelved in place of more skill, more speed and more fair play. Really? The New York Islanders seem to want to believe all this and have for years built teams as such.